Wire stretcher



March 28, 1961 Filed May 26, 1958 c. H. VAUGHN 2,977,093

WIRE STRETCHER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Char/es H. Vaughn v INVENTOR.

BY 2mm wp/W March 28, 1961 c. H. VAUGHN WIRE STRETCHER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 26, 1958 Charles H. Vaughn INVENTOR.

9 BY m v 7 2,977,093 WIRE STRETCHER a Charles H. Vaughn, Rte. 1, Mount Sterling, Ky.

Filed May 26, 1958, Star. Nifty/p21 3 Claims. (Cl. 254-81 This invention relates to improvements in wire stretching tools of the type adapted for fulcruming against a fence post or the like and attachment to a fence wire to pull the wire tight along a fence, by fulcruming the tool.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a tool of the type above indicated for stretching barbed wire, especially, and which will not kink the wire so as to weaken the same nor sear galvanized finish on such wire so that rust will develop at the seared places.

Another object is to provide a wire stretching tool of the type indicated with improved means for attaching thereto wire to be stretched so that the wire cannot slip on the tool and which obviates gripping jaws tending to slip or to pinch wire so that it will break when tightened.

Still another object is to provide a tool for the above purposes which is safe and easy to use, reliable, simple in construction and adapted for manufacture at a very low cost.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation illustrating the improved tool positioned for fulcruming operation to stretch a barbed wire across a fence post preparatory to attachment to the post;

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation illustrating the tool fulcrumed into a position to stretch the wire;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view in horizontal section and plan taken on the line 3--3 of Figure 2, and

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view in side elevation with the tool positioned as in Figure 2, and partly shown in section. Y

Referring to the drawings by numerals the tool of this invention, in the preferred embodiment thereof, comprises an elongated lever, designated generally by the numeral 1 and having a forwardly tapered front fulcruming end portion 3, a lateral rearwardly turned pulling hook 5 at one side thereof adjacent said front portion 3., and a handle portion 7.

A pair of front and rear cross arms 9, 11 extend from opposite sides of the lever 1 adjacent to and in the rear of the hook 5 and are spaced apart longitudinally of the lever 1 remote from the rear end of the handle 7 and disposed at a right angle to the plane of'the book 5. Preferably the front arm 9 is a rod and the rear arm 11 is a bar.

The book 5 forms at its juncture with the lever 1 a forwardly opening V-notch 13 spaced from the point 15 of the front end portion 3 and terminates in a rearwardly opening widened bifurcated claw 17.

A transverse wire bending rod 18 of rounded acrosssection extends across and is welded, as at 19, to the outerside of the claw 17 at the closed front end 21 of said claw.

hereof, wherein like 2,977,093 Patented Mar. 28, 1961 Preferably, although not necessarily, the handle 7 and hook 5 are formed of one rod 23 and the front end portion 3 of another rod 25 welded, as at 27, to the rode 23 and forming with said'rod 23 a thickened reinforcing portion 29 on the lever 1'in the rear of the hook 5, and the .cross arms 9, 11 may be welded, as at 3'1, 33 to the a lever 1.

' through which the wire may In using and operating the described tool 1, to stretch fence wire 35 across a fence post 37, the slack is taken out of the wire 35 to the post 37 by hand pull on the wire and with the point 15 of the lever 1 positioned against the appropriate side of the post 37 and the lever 1 inclined upwardly from the post 37 with the hook 5 uppermost, the wire 35 is trained rearwardly over the bending rod 18, through the claw 17 and from the claw around the hook 5 and side thereof. From the notch 13, the wire 35 is then wound in one direction around the lever 1 rearwardly under the front arm 9 and over the rear arm 11 on one side of the lever 1 and then again wound in the other direction around the lever 1 in the rear of the rear arm 11 for a short distance, all as illustrated in Figures 1 and 3. Then the lever is fulcrumed by means of'the handle '17 downwardly into substantially horizontal position against the post 37, as shown in Figures 2 and 4, to stretch the wire 35 for stapling to the post 37, for instance, as at 39. As the lever 1 is thus fulcrumed, the hook 5 swings in an arc downwardly and outwardly of the post 37 and thereby pulls on and stretches the wire 35 tight, the wire being securely held to the lever 1 by the notch 13 and Winding of the wire 35 around the lever 1 and under and over the arms 9, 11. In the stretching operation, the rod 18 bends the wire 35 in a round bend without kinking it or searing the same. Of course lever 1 may be inverted to stretch a wire with the hook 5 down and the lever 1 inclined downwardly from the post 37 for fulcruming upwardly, as will be obvious, and the wire 35 may be extended through the notch 13 from the other side of the notch and wound around the lever '1 in the reverse direction to that previously described all of which it has been not deemed necessary to illustrate inasmuch as it is an obvious alternative use of the tool.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A wire stretching tool comprising an elongated lever having a pointed front end portion forwardly tapered and straight for fulcruming of the lever thereon against a fence post, and a rear handle portion on the lever for grasping to fulcrum the lever, a rearwardly turned hook joined to one side of the lever at a point spaced away from said front end portion longitudinally of the lever and having a terminal rearwardly opening claw for extension of a' fence wire therethrough and swingable outwardly of a post by fulcruming of the lever to pull and stretch a wire alongside a post when the wire is attached to the lever and a fixed part, said hook forming at its juncture with said lever a forwardly opening notch be extended from said claw and wound around the lever between said hook and said handle portion to attach the wire to the lever, said lever -and hook at the juncture thereof being round in crossthrough the notch 13 from one 1 claw having a rounded rod extending across and fixed to the outer side thereof forwardly of the opening in the claw for engaging a wire extended through the claw to prevent the wire frombeing kinked or seared by pull thereon. 5

3. A wire stretching tool according to claim 1 wherein said lever is provided between said hook and said handle portion with cross arms spaced longitudinally of said lever and rearwardly from said hook and over and under which the wire may be trained between windings on the 10 lever to hold the windings to the lever rearwardly of the notch.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Kurau Aug. 25, 

